Re-designing the Tires?

[tinduck]

I guess if you just combined an air-ride suspension with full rubber tyres, you would get low rolling resistance and comfortable ride in one package. Additional advantage is that you can adjust the air ride suspension to any level of comfort - or the opposite, not to waste kinetic energy in such useless things as shock adsorption - you like.
A completely controllable air ride system for a vehicle like mine costs about 6000 Euros (see Vollluftfedern - Goldschmitt techmobil AG, page is in german, unfortunately), but this is nothing exotic and readily available.
Full-rubber tyres should pose no problems, too... they could even be regroovable and last for a really long time :-)

so long,

tinduck

[villain.ind]

all i can say is awesome and $$$$$$

[NeilBlanchard]

Another important factor in aerodynamic cars that involves suspension is ride leveling.

[cfg83]

Hello -

Cross-posting new thread on same :

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...eel-19948.html

CarloSW2

[Blue Angel]

Well, it's 2013 and I don't see any news on their website that wasn't there when this thread got started back in 2011.

First of all, let me say that I love new technology. A better tire would be a great thing, and this company is promising none of the disadvantages of having to inflate a tire with air while offering up claims of better tire life, lower rolling resistance, more efficient return of bump absorbed energy, etc. After looking through their website, I hate to say it but I see nothing more than a marketing and fund raising effort… there's absolutely no data to back up any of their claims.

Their "Technology" page contains a list of patents, an "Archil Geguchadze Report" detailing a rubber hub wheel for a minitractor (!?!), and the "Watson Report" which is nothing more than "preliminary analysis of the potential mileage savings and patentability of the Britek wheel." (quoted from their website). Their "Reinventing the Wheel" entry reads like a late night infomercial… listen to these wonderful bits:

"The physics behind the ERW is similar to that of a garage door."

"…turning the ERW into a 360-degree slingshot that retains energy…"

"...it should increase a vehicle's performance in addition to increasing its fuel efficiency."

"…when a car is riding on ERW's, it will be like riding on 4 slingshots. This "Slingshot Effect" could cause a dramatic improvement in the car's acceleration."

"Because the ERW's could de-weight the car, its braking performance should also be improved."

"Because the ERW doesn't have a sidewall… ...there shouldn't be any lateral sidewall deflection…"

"In addition to potentially improving a vehicle's fuel efficiency, acceleration, braking, and handling…"

Over four years has passed since their first entry on the "News" page, and all they have to offer is a few hilariously misleading physics references and a bunch of claims attached to words like "should", "could", "shouldn't", and "potentially". Oh, and they throw in some tire industry market data from the 1970's (!) on their bit called "Fleet Implementation".

Their "News" page has exactly four entries since 2008; two of which are weak, non technical overviews of the product and the American automobile industry, one of which is an announcement that they entered a Google contest, and one of which is an announcement about their U-tube videos being a hit.

Their "Forum" is a joke, the "Events" page has no entries since 2008, and the "Product Images" page is mostly CAD renderings… which are not images of products, just pictures of ideas. The "Company" and "Donations" pages offer no substance either, just more "Fight Big Oil" banter and a PayPal account that accepts donations.

This "company" looks like a 100% scam to me. They offer no proof that their "product" actually accomplishes anything they claim, and in fact their "claims" aren't even claims at all, just hopes and suggestions of what the product "may" do. They offer no opportunity to invest, but will gladly accept donations!

Sorry to say, you won't see any useful tires from Britek any time soon unless they come up with a new idea that actually works. I would be happy to be proven wrong - advancements in technology for the benefit of cars is HUGE with me - but it won't come from these guys with this idea. I think anyone who has donated money to this company has thrown it away… just because something is patentable doesn't mean it actually works, it just means it's a new idea.

[IsaacCarlson]

I can't see those working well on uneven terrain. A pneumatic tire can conform to the terrain and grip all kinds of surfaces. Those airless tires would only work on a smooth road without irregularities like pot holes. And you can't air them down and float on sand......